Egypt blocks UN statement on Turkey after failed coup attempt

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The United Nations Security Council failed to condemn the violence and unrest in Turkey after Egypt objected to a statement that called on all parties to "respect the democratically elected government of Turkey," diplomats said.

It comes as world leaders expressed support for the Turkish Government in the wake of the failed coup attempt.

Turkish forces loyal to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan largely crushed an attempted military coup on Saturday after crowds answered his call to take to the streets in support of the government and dozens of rebels abandoned their tanks.

The United States-drafted statement to the UN Security Council, which has been seen by Reuters news agency, expressed grave concern over the situation in Turkey, urged the parties to show restraint, avoid any violence or bloodshed, and called for an urgent end to the crisis and return to rule of law.

Statements by the 15-member Security Council have to be agreed by consensus.

Diplomats said Egypt asked for a call for all parties to "respect the democratically elected government of Turkey" to be removed from the draft statement, saying the council was "in no position to qualify, or label that government — or any other government for that matter — as democratically elected or not".

After the US and Britain objected to the proposed change to the text, Egypt proposed that the council call on the parties in Turkey to "respect the democratic and constitutional principles and the rule of law", diplomats said.

Negotiations on the text ended at this point, diplomats said.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that it was "surprised that its proposed amendment was not taken up, and with the claim that it is obstructing the release of the statement".

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is a former general who overthrew elected president Mohamed Morsi, of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013 after mass protests against Mr Morsi.

Turkey provided support for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

Merkel, EU urge Erdogan to treat coup plotters lawfully

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel echoed international messages of support to stand by the Turkish Government.

"Germany stands by all of those in Turkey who defend democracy on the constitutional state," she said.

"It is, and remains, the right of the people to determine in free elections who will be their leader."

But German-Turkish relations have come under increasing strain in recent months, with Berlin criticising Ankara's tough line against dissenting journalists and the country's Kurdish minority.

US Secretary of State John Kerry also joined the chorus of relief, admitting his country did not see the attack coming.

NATO expressed strong support for the Turkish Government. Turkey plays a key role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.